FETCH 64

As a regular checkup, it consisted of quite a few items. Among them, the points that both the Center and the Guides considered most important were the grade and duration of the guiding wavelength, the matching rate with the dedicated Esper, and the matching rate with the current teammates. While undergoing those specific tests, Jaechan felt like his heart was practically in his throat.

With wavelength sensors attached to all ten fingers, he watched the graphs fluctuate every time they emitted a wave, feeling anxious that even the slightest thing might have changed.

And just as if he had seen into the future, Ji Sangtaek was right—there were no problems with his test results. Even his matching rate with Han Kang was 91%. It had actually risen by 2% since he first joined.

“Wow, a matching rate this high is really unheard of within the Center. What’s ours?”

Ji Sangtaek looked over Jaechan’s results sheet and asked Esper Kim Zain, who was sticking close to his side. It wasn’t the first time Jaechan had seen her in person, but perhaps because she was standing next to Ji Sangtaek, she looked even shorter.

Kim Zain gave a noncommittal shrug and rolled her eyes upward as she answered.

“Ours is around 87, I think.”

Jaechan let out a little giggle. Because he had been worrying deep down, a sigh of relief burst out along with it this time.

“I’m glad the results are okay.”

“Yeah, I was a bit worried it might be my fault…”

Jaechan answered dejectedly while fiddling with his fingertips. Even though he knew better than anyone that holding onto an inferiority complex was of no help, it was difficult to shake it off.

“Why, because yours was a clinical manifestation?”

“Yes.”

And it’s probably even more so because it involves the person you like.

His mind was in quite a tangle, as he felt that if he were a proper Guide, Han Kang wouldn’t have had to go through this in the first place.

When he let out a light sigh, Ji Sangtaek added with a benevolent smile.

“There’s no need to get dejected over that. Once a Guide, always a Guide. Still, you can breathe a sigh of relief now.”

He couldn’t describe how grateful he was for the words that genuinely looked out for him. Jaechan gave a wide grin and nodded his head.

It was truly a relief that no problem was discovered on his end. At the same time, he felt frustrated again, wondering what on earth could be the cause of what was happening to Han Kang.

Ji Sangtaek left the examination room first, saying he was going to get some rest. Jaechan looked intently at the test results in his hand. Just then, a message from Han Kang arrived on his watch, asking if the checkup was finished. Jaechan took a photo of the results sheet and showed it to him as well.

「 My results are fine too I don’t know why you’re being like this You can’t keep rampaging… 」

He opened up to him about the worries he had been harboring alone. Since Han Kang was the party involved anyway, he felt he ought to know.

「 Kang: Honey, you were really worried about me, weren’t you? 」

「 Of course I was, wouldn’t I be? 」

Jaechan replied with a scowl.

From the day Han Kang unexpectedly rampaged until now, there hadn’t been a single day his mind was at ease, so he couldn’t help but find the carefree Han Kang a bit annoying.

Sigh, I guess I’m the only one worrying about him.

He wondered if he should be even more proactive with the guiding. The frequency was already high, but his worries deepened as he rolled his eyes, wondering if he should do even more than that.

Suddenly, he recalled the vow he had made to hold on for just four years, to endure until he could place an Olympic medal around Han Kang’s neck with his own hands.

Jaechan’s lips trembled slightly. His grip tightened on the results sheet.

“Did you get in a better mood because they said it’s fine?”

At Han Kang’s question, Jaechan smiled and said, “Yeah.” Rather than being in a better mood, it was closer to having a weight lifted off his shoulders, but it was all the same.

Arriving at the dormitory as soon as he clocked out, Jaechan practically buried himself in the arms of Han Kang, who had arrived first and was waiting for him.

He was using guiding as an excuse in his own way, but in truth, the desire to be comforted was greater. He had been worried deep down, and he was exhausted from not being able to sleep a wink due to his anxiety.

Now that relief was washing over him, he felt drowsy, and his fatigue doubled.

Han Kang patted his back as if it didn’t matter.

“What were you so worried about? I told you it’s fine.”

“Your condition wasn’t fine. If you have a conscience, you shouldn’t say that, you.”

“Yeah, sorry.”

Han Kang gave a refreshing smile with his handsome face.

“How are you feeling today?”

Jaechan, having regained his composure, slowly sat up and looked at him. He hadn’t seen his face all day because of the checkup, but fortunately, Han Kang’s complexion didn’t look too bad either.

When he tentatively took his hand, Han Kang willingly offered it and pressed their palms together. After giving a playful squeeze, they interlaced their fingers. Then, Han Kang curved his hand and gently tickled Jaechan’s palm with his fingertips.

“Ah, hey. That tickles.”

No matter how many times he experienced that strange sensation, he never got used to it. When Jaechan let out a low laugh and twisted his body, Han Kang’s lips twitched into a grin.

Then, he tickled the palm even more persistently. He had simply intended to check how much of the guiding wavelength was flowing out, but the atmosphere shifted strangely in an instant.

“Stop it, I’m hungry.”

“You’re hungry? Did you not eat a single meal? Does the Center not even feed the Guides during checkups?”

“No, I ate… but I must have been nervous. Only now do I feel empty inside. Earlier, I felt like I was going to get indigestion.”

Jaechan had gone through the checkup pretending to be fine and calm, fearing that showing too much nerves would make Han Kang suspicious. But after hearing the results and seeing Han Kang’s face, all of that melted away.

The hunger that arrived late quickly stimulated his stomach. As soon as he felt the hunger, an embarrassing rumble came from Jaechan’s belly.

“You must have been really nervous. For you to even mention indigestion, honey.”

Han Kang let out a low laugh and stood up. Walking over to the refrigerator, he carefully inspected the inside to see if there was anything to eat.

However, there was no way anything was left in Han Kang’s fridge. After all, Han Kang had a massive appetite, and didn’t the other Espers have quite the stomach as well?

In the nearly four years he had spent there, Jaechan had never seen food left over in the Esper dormitory.

“Let’s rest for just a bit and then go eat.”

“Not right now?”

Han Kang quirked an eyebrow as if it were truly strange. But Jaechan really didn’t have an appetite. It wasn’t so much a lack of appetite as it was that his energy was completely spent, and he craved rest more than food right now.

When he nodded in agreement, Han Kang let out a flabbergasted sigh. But it was only for a moment. Returning to the sofa, he ignored the teammates coming and going and made Jaechan lie down, using his thigh as a pillow.

“We’re going after resting for exactly thirty minutes.”

Looking at him, it seemed he was actually the hungrier one.

Jaechan didn’t even bother to hide the faint smile that broke out. Just as he was answering with a quiet nod while keeping his eyes closed…

Mwah.

With a cute friction sound, soft lips touched his and pulled away. Jaechan squinted. This time, the lips touched his eyelid and pulled away. Jaechan’s brow furrowed.

“Hey, are you letting me rest or not?”

“You rest, honey. I’ll do what I want to do.”

“How can I rest when you’re doing this!”

“Why? You’re doing what you want to do, so can’t I do what I want to do too?”

Just how could he be so shameless?

Faced with Han Kang’s act of feigning ignorance despite knowing exactly what he was saying, Jaechan immediately put on a crying face.

Then, he snapped his closed eyes open and looked straight ahead. He didn’t realize they were this close, but Han Kang was looking at Jaechan with his face pressed much closer than expected.

He almost burst out into hiccups. Jaechan stopped himself from yelling “Let’s just rest for a bit!” and ended up clamping his mouth shut.

His own face was reflected clearly in Han Kang’s black pupils. The gaze looking down was incredibly sweet and warm. It looked like he was comforting him for the emotional distress he had suffered, and it also felt like he was cradling him, saying everything was okay now.

At that, Jaechan once again felt a sense of remoteness, as if his heart were falling down a thousand-mile cliff.

He swallowed hard. Soon, their lips met softly, and their tongues clung together stickily.

Moans seeped through the messily intertwining tongues. But it was only for a moment. Jaechan felt an illusion of completely escaping from the series of situations that had been beyond anxious and even exhausting.

Right, what does anything else matter? Han Kang’s attitude toward him was nothing but infinitely sweet. Unlike when Jaechan first manifested, Han Kang didn’t seem to have any intention of pushing him away now. That was something everyone living at the Center would agree on.

On top of that, regardless of what anyone said, Jaechan had no intention of leaving Han Kang’s side. He would guide Han Kang as much as his strength allowed, and though his confession was currently stalled, he intended to muster up courage once more if the opportunity ever arose.

That was enough.

Even if the worst-case scenario of the matching rate dropping occurred, Jaechan mastered his heart, telling himself to think about it when the time came.